Intermittent control apparatus



June 4, 1963 w. P. TAYLOR ET AL 3,091,909 INTERMITTENT CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 31, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.|

32 FIG.2

INVENTORY WINFRED P TAYLOR LINTON A. TILLMAN A TTORNEYJ' June 4, 1963 w. P. TAYLOR ET AL 3,0 0

INTERMITTENT CONTROL APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 31, 1962 FIG.3

FIG]

INVENTORA' WI NFRED P. TAYLOR LINTON A. TILLMAN OUTPUT BY ATTORNEYS June 4, 1963 w. P. TAYLOR ETAL 3,09

INTERMITTENT CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 51, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i AJ 7.

1 FIG.6

INVENTORA' WINFRED R TAYLOR BY LINTON A. TILLMAN A TTORNEYIS' United States Patent 3,091,909 INTERMITTENT CONTRQL APPARATUS Winfred P. Taylor and Linton A. Tillman, Greensboro, N.C., assignors to J. P. tevens & C0., Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 31, 1962, Ser. No. 199,087 18 Claims. (Cl. 57-34) This invention relates generally to the production of random electrical signal impulses of randomized or uniform pulse length employed in the control of a process and more particularly to the control of the process for the production of novelty yarns for weaving textured cloth.

Normal production of yarn by machine methods, particularly when employing synthetic fibers, results in a highly uniform yarn suitable for the manufacture of cloth of uniform texture and appearance. One means of varying the appearance of the finished cloth is to employ a yarn having non-uniform characteristics such as diameter, twist, composition and length of irregularities incorporated in the yarn. Previous machine methods of manufacturing non-uniform yarn have tended to be limited in the extent of variations in diameter or texture or other novel effects of the yarn, and furthermore to repeat the variations at regular intervals and for more or less precisely determined durations as the yarn is produced. The textured cloth produced thus has limited variation and presents a nono'esirable patterned appearance.

An object of the invention is to produce a random timing for the control of a mechanism suitable for producing slubs in the yarn.

Another object of the invention is to produce an electrical control signal variable both in timing and in duration by which a process may be controlled in an aperiodic manner to produce an unlimited range of variations in a process.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switchactuating apparatus for the production of randomly spaced switch actuations of random duration.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switchactuating apparatus for the production of randomly spaced switch actuations of constant duration.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, when desired, a controlled minimum time between switch actuations.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved according to the present invention by the employment of a balldropping mechanism which controls theinterval of time between the dropping of successive balls and at the same time distributes successive balls over a set of spaced perforated discs arranged to overlie a plane in which there are disposed at considerable number of switch actuating levers arranged each to be actuated upon the depositing thereon of one ball dropped through the perforated discs. The duration of the actuation of a switch is controlled either by a time delay relay for equal pulse duration or random duration determined by the variable time required to remove the ball or pellet under the infiuence of gravity as it rolls to the end of the actuated lever. The overall rate of operation of the mechanism is determined by the rpm. of the discs by the rate of supply of balls or the number of switches controlling the process. The intervals between the successive actuations are controlled by a randomizing process as actuating pellets pass through perforations in successively stacked rotating discs above the plane in which the switch actuating levers are disposed, and, if desired, by a second relay which will control only the minimum time between actuations.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be 3,091,539 Patented June 4, 1953 ice 2 better understood as the description proceeds in connection with the figures of which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of one form of the apparatus, partly in section, showing the general arrangement of a switch controlling apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of part of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken generally along the line 2-2 thereof, including a partial plan View of the switch actuating lever assembly;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through the ball-dropping mechanism taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates one manner in which the randomized signal may be applied to the production of a slubbed yarn according to this invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates one manner in which the switches controlled by the actuate levers of FIG. 2 may be interconnected for the simultaneous production of yarns of different characteristics;

FIG. 6 illustrates another form of apparatus controlled as by the switches of FIG. 5 to produce a slubbed yarn; and

FIG. 7 illustrates schematically apparatus to control selectively the minimum spacing and duration of signals randomized as in FIG. 1.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1 and to the enlarged view of FIG. 3, there is shown generally a balldropping mechanism 1 which includes a hopper 2 at the upper end thereof, having funnel shaped walls narrowing down to the diameter of a series of randomizing discs 3 which are inclosed in a cylindrical section 4 at the lower opening of the funnel portion of the hopper 2. This hopper is conveniently mounted in a vertical cylinder 5 to occupy the entire diameter thereof. A generally vertical shaft is suitably supported on bearings and itself supports a series of primary discs 3 spaced apart from each other by a distance somewhat greater than the size of the pellets used in the process control mechanism. Discs 3 are disposed at right angles to the shaft 6 and secured thereto by spot welding or by other suitable means such that the shaft 6 may be driven about its vertical axis to rotate the discs 3 within the cylinder section 4.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 a definite number of spherical pellets or balls 7 may be distributed along the vertical extent of the ball-dropping mechanism and each will be given a variable time of descent therethrough which is randomized within controllable limits by the rate of supply of the pellets thereto, by the rate of rotation of the shaft 6, and by other means such as frequency and distribution-of the holes in successive discs 3 through which the pellets 7 must pass in their journey from the hopper 2 to the lower end of the ball-dropping mechanism.

Each of the discs 3 is provided with perforations larger than pellets 7 and in disordered array to produce irregullar variations in the dropping of the balls therethrough. When a small number of holes are employed, particularly in the discs 3, the time of descent of a pellet or ball therethrough becomes variable over considerable limits and may exceed the time between the delivery of successive pellets to the hopper 2. Accordingly, pellets will land on the disc 8 in disordered time array.

While any number of discs 3 may be employed in cylinder 4 to vary the time of descent therethrough, it is frequently desirable to provide a large number of switches each randomly actuated in variable duration of actuation to produce a greater overall randomizing effect. Additional discs as at 8 and 9 are attached to shaft 6 within the cylinder 5, each being of approximately the diameter of cylinder 5. It will be understood that as discs 3, 8 and 9 are driven in rotation pellets resting thereon will gradually be brought into circular motion with the result that they will tend to move toward the outer periphery of the discs. Thus, while the pellets 7 may be caused to land on the topmost disc 3 at approximately the center thereof they will be gradually distributed across the diameter of successive discs 3, and later of discs 8 and 9.

Disc 9 is shown in FIG. 2 as having a number of holes bored or punched therein each of diameter somewhat in excess of the size of the pellets 7. At 11, 12 and 13 and elsewhere these perforations in disc 9 are at a different distance from the shaft 6 and are arranged around the disc in highly disordered array such that a pellet landing at any position thereon may pass immediately through one of the holes but in general will be carried around as the disc rotates being thus moved both in radial and circumferential position to have approximately equal probability of landing anywhere beneath the vertical projection of the cylinder 5.

Because of the tendency for pellets brought into circular motion to move toward the periphery of the disc, there are provided preferably at two or more places around the periphery thereof deflecting arms 14 which overlie the outer edges of the discs 8 and 9 and are effectively disposed to deflect any such pellets back toward the center of the disc. Such deflecting arms may be provided in a form at an angle to the radius in order to better convert rotary motion of the pellets into an inward motion. A similar number of deflecting arms 14 may also be employed overlying each of the discs 3.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2 it will be noted that a series of elongated actuating levers such as 17, 18 and 19 are adjacently disposed in the same general plane to form a generally horizontal surface 20 underlying the lower end of cylinder and extending therebeyond. The switch actuating levers may be formed of sheet material as by pressing or stamping and are preferably mounted for vertical rotation about a horizontal shaft 21 which passes through ears 22 formed at the lateral edges at one end of each of the levers. Shaft 21 is supported by bearings 23 and 24. The actuating levers are formed with turned up edges 25 whereby any pellet 7 resting on one such lever is retained thereon until it has rolled completely from the end of the lever. The levers as at 17, 18, and 19 are each spring biased into a predetermined position by a biasing spring 26, having a bias adjustment 27 mounted on any suitable support for providing tension in the spring 26, which is attached to the end of the lever beyond shaft 21, thereby to urge the lever into a generally horizontal position against stop 28. A second stop 29 is preferably disposed beneath the free end of the lever, thereby to limit the downward motion thereof under the influence of a pellet dropped thereon. It will be understood that the bias spring may be varied in stiffness and that adjustment 27 may be varied as required to maintain each lever against the stop 28 with only sufiicient force to permit ready movement thereof against stop 29 as a ball is dropped thereon.

Each of the levers is arranged to actuate a switch such as 31 which may be mounted permanently on a suitable support, and which has an actuate lever 32 overlying the end of the lever. Switch 31 may be wired to have normally closed contacts when it is desirable that the switching mechanism open a circuit or may be wired as normally open when the switching mechanism should close a circuit.

The levers comprising the surface 20 are preferably arranged in parallel array with the free ends terminating at a line 34 which constitutes the discharge line for pellets rolling along the levers of the surface 20. The shaft 2-1 forms a fulcrum line 35 separated from the discharge line 34 by distance a. A pellet which has passed through an outer perforation such as 1:1 when in a position indicated at 11 in FIG. 2 would have a distance b to travel while holding the lever in the depressed position before it passes discharge line 34. Similarly, c, d, e, f, and 3 represent distances which a ball must travel along a lever element of surface 20 before it reaches the discharge line. While only certain positions of perforations are assumed to represent the distances of travel b, c, d, e, f and g, it will be understood that each hole such as 11, 12 and 13 describes, during one rotation, a circular zone of positions concentric with the shaft 6 such that a ball may be deposited therefrom upon any one of the levers thereunder in any position beneath any portion of such a zone. Rotation of the hole 11 describes a zone adjacent to the deflecting arms 14 and may actuate an outer lever such as 17 at any position near the center thereof. A ball dropped from the hole 11 may actuate an intermediate lever 18 for either a somewhat shorter or somewhat longer time, since it can strike levers 18 at positions corresponding to c or g distances from line 34. Similarly levers 19 may be actuated from perforation 11 only for a very short distance a or a near maximum distance. Holes such as 12, 13, may not drop a pellet to actuate the outer levers 17 at any time, but will actuate inner levers for intermediate periods. Selection of switches in groups effects a randomizing of the periods.

Shaft 6 produces the desired rate of rotation of the discs 3. Drive shaft 36 is mounted on a bearing 37 and has on the end thereof a driving gear 38 which meshes with driven gear 39 on the end of shaft 6. There is preferably supplied a bearing 40 for shaft 6 which may be supported from the cylinder 5 as by bracket 41, arranged also to support the bearing 37. Shaft 36 may be disposed above the hopper 2 in order to cooperate with a gear arranged on the upper end of the shaft 6, or the gear may be replaced by a pulley according to any conventional arrangement. A thrust bearing 42 supported by cross bracket 43 supports the rotary portion of the ball dropping mechanism adjacent deflecting arms 14 as generally indicated in FIG. 3.

Pellets deposited in hopper 2 are thus given a random time of descent through successive discs 3 into 'a receiving space 15, from which they are further distributed laterally and dropped aperiodically by means of discs 8 and 9 whereof the perforations are in any disordered array, the pellets then being dropped through disc 9 into the space below disc 9 and thus upon the surface 20. Upon depressing one of the actuate levers each ball rolls along the lever to the discharge line 34 and is thereafter caught in receptacle 44 disposed therebelow, whence it is conducted to a cylindrical bottomed receptacle 45.

A moving belt 4-6 having thereon a succession of lbuckets 47 is caused to pass down into the cylindrical receptacle 45 in such a manner that each bucket 47 picks up any ball which is then within the receptacle 45. The belt is preferably supported and driven by a roller 48 arranged substantially coaxially with the cylindrical receptacle 45, and is supported at the opposite end by a roller 49 disposed above the top of hopper 2. The belt 46 is made sufficiently long to cause buckets 47 to discharge each pellet at approximately the center of the hopper 2, thereby to provide a complete opportunity for the distributing and randomizing process to be made effective. By this means each of the pellets or balls may be dropped through the ball dropping mechanism to arrive at variable times within the receptacle 4-5 because of the randomizing time function, and to be picked up in the order of receipt and transported to the hopper 2 in ordered "succession.

A fixed supply of pellets produces an overall average rate of actuation having intervals which are highly vari able, such intervals being made further variable because of the ordered succession in which the balls are returned to hopper 2. It will also be understood that the rate of switch actuation can be determined over wide limits by increasing or decreashing the number of balls employed in the continuous process. Variation in the spring tension of bias spring 26, achieved by the adjustment 27 may be effected to control the average roll time for pellets on the trays. Further variability may be introduced by lowering either the stop 28 or the stop 29, so as to increase the degree of deflection of each of the levers. Still further variability may be introduced as desired by tilting the axis of the cylinder and shaft 6 such that the pellets have a tendency to emerge from the dropping machine further from or nearer to the discharge line 34, thus to vary the average duration of a lever deflection. It is thus seen that the ball dropping mechanism taken in conjunction with switch mechanism and the collecting and return mechanism constitutes a device for creating random signals both as to time and duration having large variability factors for various processes.

One illustrationof the employment of such a mech anism for intermittent control is illustrated in FIG. 4 in which one or more of the switches controlled by the mechanism are joined to form a composite or cumulative control for a yarn slubbing mechanism.

The manner in which the switches may be joined is variable for further control of the random efiects. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the switches 31 may be ganged or paralleled to form a normally open or a normally closed circuit component in series with the operating circuit for any desired control apparatus. It might, for example, be desired to intermittently apply an electrical pulse to apparatus such as illustrated in FIG. 6 for the changing of a gear ratio, or to close a circuit to apparatus such as illustrated in FIG. 4, thereby to actuate atension mechanism or other irregularity producing mechanism in the spinning of a yarn. Illustrated in FIG. 5 is a group of switches 31 of which certain ones are connected in parallel in a group, each group being connected to control a separate process controlling mechanism. Because the outer switch levers such as 17 are actuated only by pellets dropped in the central region thereof a variability of timing for the switch impulse thereby generated has a narrower range of duration, while the central levers such as 19 have a much wider range of duration of actuation, with a somewhat decreased likelihood of intermediate duration of actuation, it may be-desirable to employ in parallel switches controlled by elements such as-17 and 19. In a very high speed-spinning operation it may be desirable to place all switches in parallel to greatly increase the number of actuations, employing, for example, from to switches. The switches may likewise be employed singly or in pairs.

The apparatus thus far described provides a means for randomizing both the time of occurrence of electrical signals for use in the control of a process and for randomizing the duration of the pulse producedin each case. For some purposes it is desirable to limit the range of the randomized pulses either with respect to the time of occurrence or the duration. In the spinning of yarn it is noted, for example, that a pulse of very short duration may not provide a suflicient control to the slubbing apparatus to produce a reliable or visible increase in the yarn size. Likewise, if the impulses occur too close together, they will merge one into the other and have the effect of one longer impulse. It is desirable that these effects be made variable from time to time for the reason that in some samples of a product it may be preferred to have short duration slubbing pulses to produce yarn with some very short lengths of increased diameter, whereas in other samples it may be desirable not to have these very short duration pulses and their consequent short length slubs. It is likewise evident that the yarn when woven into a cloth will be much affected in appearance by variations from time to time in the minimum spacing between slub-s.

There is accordingly shown in FIG. 7 a variation of the apparatus schematically illustrated in FIG. 5 by means of which a control may be applied either to the duration of a pulse or to the minimum spacing between pulses, as desired. It is feasible to make these two effects separately adjustable and adjustable in combination with each other. The power line indicated that 70 in FIG. 5 is here indicated as a DO. linehaving one ing jet.

lead and another lead 70 of which one extends to output lead 69. The other lead extends to the output 69 by way of a switch which is controlled indirectly by one or more of the switches 31. The switches 31 are ganged as in FIG. 5. Upon the closing of one of the switches 31, a time delay relay TDR 1 is actuated, here having normally open contacts 81 and winding 82 arranged in conventional manner to provide a closing of the contacts upon energization of the winding 82 by passage of a DC current therethrough. A second con tact of the pair of contacts 81 is connected by means of lead 69' to the output and is provided with the indicator lamp 72 between line 69' and 69 generally in the manner of the apparatus in FIG. 5. The winding 82 is energized by connection to the second terminals of the switch bank comprising switches 3 and by connection to the other side of the power line through contacts 83 of a time delay relay TDR 2, which is energized by way of lead 70 and contacts 81, when closed. TDR 2 has normally closed contacts 83 and a winding 84 of which the contacts 83 are connected one to line 7t and the other to the winding 82 in order to complete the circuit to the winding 82. The winding 84 of TDR 2 is thus controlled by the closure of'contacts 81 of TDR 1.

Relays TDR 1 and TDR 2 are of conventional construction, one form of which has a copper slug surrounding the core of the winding in one end thereof such that the rise and decay of ilux in the winding is delayed. TDR 1 and TDR 2 may be of like construction except that contacts 81 are normally open and contacts 83 are normally closed. In either case the time of operation of the relay is adjustable as conventionally constructed by means of a screw attached to the armature of the relay or by other means well known in the art, such as the tensioning or" a spring which returns the armature to its normally resting position. The adjustment of a screw may increase or decrease the tension of a spring or the time required to actuate the armature by varying the gap in the relay, or may vary the gap when the relay is closed in order to vary the dropout time required.

Regardless of the means of adjustment, it is apparent that the relay may be made quick acting such that it exerts no control over the minimum time established by the randomizing process, so that the out-put at terminal 69 and 69 is the same as in FIG. 5. It is likewise evident that cont-acts 81 may be held closed for a longer period in order to eliminatefrom the random duration pulses at the output those pulses which would fall below the desired period. Similarly, it will be seen that TDR 2 may be caused to operate in delayed relationship to the operation of TDR 1 or to operate simultaneously therewith. In either-case, when TDR 2 is actuated the current is cut off from TDR '1 by the opening of the contacts 83, and these contacts remain open for the duration of the actuation of TDR 2 which is controlled, as in the ease of TDR l, by the time delay of drop-out and is again adjustable in thesame manner as described in connection with TDR 1. So long as TDR 2 remains actuated, no additional pulse may pass from switches 31 to the output 69'.

- The additional controls illustrated in FIG. -7 thus provide a means by which a randomized signal maybe varied in minimum duration by relay TDR 1 and, at the same time, a minimum interval is established between successive actuations of TDR ll, governed by the adustable delay of TDR 2. This feature provides a considerable degree of control of the limits of the randomizing process while retaining the random duration and the random spacing beyond such minimum limits.

Referring now more in detail to the application of the random electrical signal tothe spinning of the yarn a feed roll 50 may be driven at one speed and another feed roll 51 driven at a lesser speed. A core strand 59 is supplied from roll 52, passing around constant speed roll 51, which controls the rate of supply thereof to the bulk- A second supply roll 53 furnishes an excess strand 60 to be combined with strand 59 supplied by roll 52, the rate of supply of strand 60 being controlled in part by relay 54, operating a tension device, and in part by the feed roll 50 over which the strand 66 passes at a maximum rate higher than that of strand 59, controlled by feed roll 51.

The relay generally indicated at 54 has a winding energized through a switch 55 which is a composite of the switches 31 in a paralleled group as indicated in FIG. 5, and is supplied by a suitable source of A.C. or DC. current. Switch 55 may be normally open and closeable upon the closing of any of the switches 31 comprising the group connected in parallel. Relay 54 has armature 56 actuatable against the spring tension of spring 81 by the energization of the relay coil when switch 55 closes. Fixed position barriers 57 cooperate with a deflector 58 which is carried on the armature 56 to form a tension device when the relay is not operated. The barriers 57 may be a pair of eyes spaced either side of the deflector 58, or any other conventional form in which the deflector 58 serves to restrict, in cooperation with the barriers 57, the free movement of the yarn strand 60 as it passes therethrough. Operation of the relay 54 serves to withdraw the deflector 58 from the holding position. It will be understood that strand 60 is passed to the roll 50 under sufiicient tension to cause slippage of the yarn as it is driven by the roll 50 whenever the tension device is effective; but to permit full feed roll speed driving of the strand 60, Whenever the tension device is deactivated. As here illustrated, the deactivation occurs upon the actuation of the switch 55.

Bulking jets of various types may be employed for combining a core yarn and an excess yarn from feed rolls 50 and 51 used, for example, in cooperation with a tension device to supply one yarn at constant speed and a second strand either at the same rate or at a different rate depending upon the control signal supplied to the tension device. The two strands 59 and 60 may be joined as at 61 by any suitable type of twisting mechanism to produce a uniform twisted yarn whenever the strands 59 and 60 are supplied at the same rate. Bulking jet 62 may comprise a cylindrical bore or eye of larger diameter than the finished yarn, having a flared or a conical inlet portion suitable for rapid threading by means of an air jet 63, which is here illustrated as the main force supplying an entanglement of fibers or filaments to the strands of the yarn as they enter the bulking jet.

An air jet 63 is supplied with high pressure air from a line 64- directly upon the strands within the entrance portion of the bulking jet such as to force the strands therethrough. When the air from nozzle 63 is given a circular motion as well as a longitudinal motion the strands 59 and 60 will be twisted as at 61 before entry into the bulking jet constriction. The degree of twist, of course, may be varied by changing the percentage of tangential motion as compared to longitudinal motion of the air as it enters the bulking jet.

The finished yarn at 65 illustrates a section in which the strands 59 and 60 were supplied at the same rate and a section 66 illustrating an increased diameter of the yarn resulting from strand 6% being supplied at the rate of rotation of the roll 50 by virtue of the release of the tension device in response to closing of the switch 55. It will be readily appreciated that as the yarn is supplied in greater quantity from the roll 53, this will necessarily increase the diameter of the finished yarn as shown at 66. When the rate of supply of strand 59 is considerably increased loops and bunches of excess yarn are gathered into the final yarn to provide the desired effect. The air jet 63 supplies sufiicient driving force to bunch, gather, bulk or loop excess yarn of the strand as it enters the jet and is twisted and combined with the core strand 59. In such a mechanism it is normal to supply driving power to a spool 67 upon which the finished yarn is rolled, this roll being driven preferably by a surface drive thereby to control the take up to equal the speed of strand 59.

It may be otherwise driven by a slipping clutch tensioned to take up yarn at the same rate as the feed roll 51 is operating. Thus the speed control exercised by feed roll 51 and take up spool 67 influence the degree of slip on the roll 50, except during the time when the tension device is deactuated. At such times a strand 60 passes into the bulking jet at the rate controlled entirely by feed roll 50, which is considerably higher than the take up speed.

It has been noted that switch 55 may comprise a single one of the switches 31 of FIG. 2 or a group thereof connected to plug 68 for the control of a process such as by controlling the relay 54. Other switches 31' are parallelconnected to control energization of the same or different circuitry by way of plug 69, each plug 68 and 69 being supplied with a through connection 70 to a voltage source such that the switches in either branch circuit control energization by way either of plug 68 or plug 69. Indicator lights 71 and 72 are merely for the purpose of indicating visually whether the circuit is properly functioning for the'random control of the process. Plug 68 might control the relay 54 and plug 69 might control the speed of rotation of the feed roll 50 or of the pressure from the air supply line 64 by way of a suitable electrically actuated valve.

An alternative form of slubbing mechanism is illustrated generally in FIG. 6 similar to Patent No. 2,820,253, for Slubbing Mechanism for Spinning Frames, issued to A. E. Winslow, January 21, 1958. In this mechanism a gear box is generally indicated at 73 as controlling the speed of rotation of a driven shaft 74 which drives the back feed rolls. Such a mechanism has controls 76 and 77 and is operated by compressed air from supply line 75 and air control regulator 78. Regulator 78 is operated by a solenoid switch actuated by way of plug 69 to operate a diaphragm switch 79 to control the air supply to the gear shifting mechanism within the upper portion of the gear box 80 which in turn controls the speed of the shaft 74.

One manner of employment of the intermittent device is to drive the back feed rolls of a spinning machine through the gearing mechanism, shown in FIGURE 6. On demand from the intermittent device, the gearing mechanism increases the speed of the back feed roll to a faster r.p.m. which in turn feeds an excess of tow or roving into the drafting area, thereby increasing the diameter of the yarn for a length determined by the duration of the pulse from the intermittent device. Likewise,

other means of varying the effects in the yarn spinning process might be employed under control of the intermittent apparatus as hereinabove described.

Various modifications of the disclosed intermittent control apparatus may be practiced in accordance with the foregoing description without departing from the intended scope of the invention, which is described and illustrated in combination with yarn slubbing control mechanisms. It is accordingly intended to include within the scope of the invention various forms of equivalent structure for other purposes.

What is claimed is: 1. A slubbing control device for producing a variable composite yarn of plural separately supplied strands, comprising means supplying one strand at a constant rate,

feedtroll means supplying a second strand at a higher ra e,

signal actuated tension controlling means operatively controlling the rate of supply of said second strand at said constant rate when actuated and when deacttuated releasing an excess thereof at said higher ra e,

means actuating said tension controlling means in the absence of an interrupting signal,

means interrupting said signal in response to nonperiodic electrical impulses, and

means supplying said non-periodic impulses.

2. A slubbing control device according to claim 1 wherein said impulse supplying means comprises an aperiodic ball-dropping mechanism and a plurality of contiguous switch-operating mechanisms disposed heneath said ball-dropping mechanism.

3. A slubbing control device according to claim 1 wherein said. non-periodic impulses are derived from a plurality of switches alternatively actuatable by randomly spaced and timed pellets fortuitously deposited on a corresponding plurality of switch actuating means.

4. A slubbing control device according to claim 1 wherein said signal interrupting and impulse means comprise,

a vertically disposed distributor for a plurality of pellets having rotative bafiles therein to vary the position and time of dropping said pellets therefrom,

plural switch means each electrically energized in one position thereof, and a switch actuating means, one for each said switch means, disposed for operation upon receipt thereon of one said pellet, said actuating means having durations of actuation governed by the positions of dropping of each said pellet thereon as the pellets are discharged at varied distances therealong.

5. A slubbing control device according to claim 1 wherein said signal interrupting and impulse supplying means comprise,

a plurality of switches energized to jointly control current to said actuating means,

a plurality of elongated switch levers operatively connected one to each of said switches and adjacently arranged to form a horizontal composite receiver surface,

a ball-dropping mechanism arranged above said surface, means distributing the balls dropped from said mechanism randomly over said surface, and

means causing variable duration of switch actuation in response to the position of impact of each said ball on a respective said lever.

6. A yarn slubbing control device comprising a bulking jet,

means supplying yarn to said jet,

means varying the rate of supply of said yarn to said jet in response .to successive electrical signals supplied thereto,

switch means supplying said signals at randomized intervals including a cylindrical vertical passage,

a plurality of discs mounted in spaced relation each horizontally rotative in said cylindrical passage and each having a series of randomly disposed perforations,

a plurality of elongated trays adjacently disposed beneath said passage, each tray being spring biased to a normally unactuated position and deflectable downwardly to an actuated position,

a switch disposed for actuation by each said tray when downwardly deflected,

a plurality of pellets of diameter less than said perforations,

means collecting said pellets from said trays, and means conveying said collected pellets in successive order to an upper end of said passage.

7. A slubbing control device of claim 6 wherein said discs are spaced apart on a vertically disposed shaft for rotation therewith.

8. A slu-bbing control device of claim 6 wherein a bucket hoist returns said pellets to said passage in the order of emergence from said trays.

9. A yarn slubbing device for varying the frequency and duration of a control signal to a tension mechanism comprising,

a cylindrical passage vertically disposed,

a plurality of horizontal discs each concentrically mounted on a vertical rotating shaft in mutually spaced relation,

a series of perforations in each disc arranged in dis ordered relative array,

a plurality of spherical pellets of diameter less than said perforations, means supplying said pellets successively to the upper portion of said passage,

a series of lever arms adjacently disposed and pivotally mounted beneath said discsfor actuation about a line laterally exterior to the lower projection of said passage,

means biasing said levers to a normally horizontal position and permitting said levers to yield under the weight of one said pellet to a depressed position,

a switch mounted for actuation upon actuation of each said lever and for deactuation as said lever is returned to said normal position,

means collecting said pellets as they roll from said levers,

means returning each said pellet in succession to said upper portion .of the passage, and

means driving said discs in rotation to distribute said pellets over said adjacent levers in generally random manner.

10. A randomized actuating mechanism for a group of switches comprising,

a plurality of adjacently disposed elongated levers each mounted for vertical movement about a horizontal axis,

means yieldably biasing each said lever to a generally horizontal position,

actuation means connecting each said switch to one said lever to effect switch actuation upon depressing said lever below said position,

a vertical passage above said levers,

a plurality of pellets fed in succession to an upper portion of said passage,

means Within said passage operative to vary the time of passage of said pellets therethrough,

said means also operating to space said pellets in disordered array as they pass downward through the passage, and

means collecting said pellets after impinging upon said levers and returning them in sucessive order to said upper opening of the passage.

11. A mechanism according to claim 10 in Which means is provided within said passage effective to distribute said pellets randomly over the plane of said levers.

12. A mechanism according to claim 10 having spaced perforated plates rotatively borne by a vertical shaft within said passage operative as said time varying means.

13. A random process controlling mechanism comprising,

a plurality of switches each having a normally actuated and a normally deactuated position,

a utilization circuit energized from a power source for controlling said process having said switches connected in parallel as a series element arranged to through-connect the circuit upon the closing of one said switch,

a plurality of actuating levers one for each said switch arranged in parallel horizontal array,

a ball-dropping machine disposed above said levers and having an aperiodic time function, including a fixed supply of balls, and

means collecting balls dropped upon said levers and returning each ball to said ball-dropping machine in the order of collection.

14. A mechanism according to claim 13 wherein said machine comprises a series of spaced rotative baflles variably penforated and disposed horizontally to rfortuitously distribute ba-lls passed through the perforations of said baffles.

15. A mechanism according to claim 13 wherein said machine includes a number of disc bafiles rotatively mounted on a vertical shaft, the lower said baflies being of increased diameter and each baflle having apertures of 1 1 varying radial position to cumulatively provide said aperiodic function.

16. A process controlling mechanism according to claim 13 including time delay relay means in series with said switches for maintaining said circuit for a minimum interval following the closing of a said switch.

17. A process controlling mechanism according to claim 13 including time delay relay means actuated by the closing of a said switch, said means preventing a further said circuit connection for a minimum interval aiter each actuation.

18. A random process controlling mechanism electnically energized from a power source comprising,

a plurality of switches each having a normally actuated and a normally deactuated position,

a plurality of actuating levers one for each said switch and arranged in mutually parallel array beneath a plane,

means biasing each said lever toward a horizontal position for actuation upon receiving a ball thereon from above said plane, said biasing means being regulated to cause variable actuation according to vthe duration of the roll time for a said ball on said lever,

means connecting a paralleled group of said switches in series with said power supply and said mechanism for controlling the mechanism at times and durations determined by said actuating levers of the group, a separate said group being provided for each process controlled, and

bal-dropping means supplied with a time ordered array of balls effective to aperiodicaily drop balls upon levers of the group in variable position therealong to control said duration of roll time.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 518,133 Blake Apr. 10, 1894 2,870,279 Oohn Jan. 20, 1959 2,929,114 Woods Mar. 22, 1960 2,976,106 Rose et al Mar. 21, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 861,327 Great Britain Feb. 15, 1961 

1. A SLUBBING CONTROL DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A VARIABLE COMPOSITE YARN OF PLURAL SEPARATELY SUPPLIED STRANDS, COMPRISING MEANS SUPPLYING ONE STRAND AT A CONSTANT RATE, FEED ROLL MEANS SUPPLYING A SECOND STRAND AT A HIGHER RATE, SIGNAL ACTUATED TENSION CONTROLLING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONTROLLING THE RATE OF SUPPLY OF SAID SECOND STRAND AT SAID CONSTANT RATE WHEN ACTUATED AND WHEN DEACTUATED RELEASING AN EXCESS THEREOF AT SAID HIGHER RATE, MEANS ACTUATING SAID TENSION CONTROLLING MEANS IN THE ABSENCE OF AN INTERRUPTING SIGNAL, MEANS INTERRUPTING SAID SIGNAL IN RESPONSE TO NONPERIODIC ELECTRICAL IMPULSES, AND MEANS SUPPLYING SAID NON-PERIODIC IMPULSES. 